UCSF is one of 16 new Learning Health System (LHS) Centers of Excellence funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to support the training of researchers to conduct patient-centered outcomes research within learning health systems. UCSF's Embedded Scientist Training and Research (E-STAR) LHS Center will produce the next generation of researchers to conduct patient-centered outcomes research and implement the results to improve quality of care and patient outcomes. Newly trained clinician and research scientists will work within health systems by collaborating with systems’ leaders and conducting studies to address how healthcare organizations can improve patient outcomes.
The UCSF E-STAR LHS Center has three distinct cores and aims:
Administrative Core & Aim 1. To establish multidisciplinary E-STaR Center Cores that share resources and facilities with healthcare systems to support research and training for LHS scientists, particularly in areas of embedded research, patient and stakeholder engagement, informatics, and outcome evaluation in health systems. The Administrative Core will provide overarching Center leadership, stakeholder engagement and coordination, program evaluation, and internal and external communications. The Research and Education Core will implement the research and training program for E-STaR Scholars, incorporating 3 new training elements (an Engagement Science seminar series, a LHS Workshop, and LHS Grand Rounds). The Research and Data Analysis Core will provide consultation and services spanning the research life cycle: from study design and analytic methods, to data access and dedicated IT support that operationalizes EHR modifications, to embedded performance and outcome metrics.
Research Education Core & Aim 2. To implement an E-STaR program that enrolls Scholars from diverse backgrounds, and provides them with the research, engagement, and leadership skills necessary to pursue successful careers as LHS scientists. All 3 E-STaR Center Cores will be involved in and coordinate Scholar recruitment and retention, training, and embedded research activities. Performance and outcomes of these efforts will be captured in the Program Evaluation function overseen by the Administrative Core.
Research Data and Analysis Core & Aim 3. To enable research embedded in healthcare systems that advances and continuously improves healthcare quality, equity, and patient-centered outcomes, and to disseminate results to local and national audiences. In partnership with the other Cores, the Research and Data Analysis Core will systematically ensure patient-centered outcomes are measured, captured, and aggregated across embedded research projects. Expected Outcomes: The proposed UCSF LHS E-STaR Center intends to train more than 60 Scholars pursuing LHS research and leadership careers across at least 5 unique health systems over 5 years. LHS Scholars will represent diverse backgrounds, care settings, and patient populations. Their research projects will have increased quality and health outcomes for patients of all backgrounds, with results of this research broadly disseminated. The collective experience of the E-STaR Center will build an important foundation for transforming health systems that will catalyze future innovations in research training, capacity building and healthcare delivery.
The E-STAR LHS Center for Excellence is led by Andrew Auerbach, MD, Ralph Gonzales, MD, MSPH, and Mary Whooley, MD.